Fellow of the University of Madras

ESSAYS ON ISLÁM.

BY THE

REV. E. SELL, B.D., M.R.A.S.,

FELLOW OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MADRAS.

1901.

THE BÁB AND THE BÁBÍS

II.

THE modern sect of the Bábís is closely connected with the mystical modes of thought of the Ṣúfís, and with the teaching of the Shí‘ahs on the Imám, his position and functions. It is not strictly correct to call them a Muslim sect, for they practically discard the Qurán and supersede Muḥammad. But the close connection of Bábíism with Muḥammadan dogmas, its present-day importance and the devotion of its followers claim for it thoughtful study.

Mírzá Káẓim Beg, writing in the year 1866, says: “From its first appearance the teaching of the Báb has been distinguished from all other reforms, which have hitherto been produced in Persia or the East generally, by a well marked aspiration towards truth and towards liberty of conscience. Although in the development of the doctrine, human passions and fanatic strife have left their impress, yet we can perceive some things which are directed toward good desires and towards the freedom of the human will.”[1] He also adds: “There is not in the history of Asia a schism so remarkable as that of the Báb. It owes its extraordinary success to the zeal of its Muríds, or disciples. Amongst these are women who have played an important part,

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great lords of the Shah s court, and, from the ranks of the ‘Ulamá, the Seyyids or descendants of Muḥammad.”[2]

These are the words of a thoughtful Musalmán who is in no sense a friend to Bábíism, but who seeks to give a fair historical account of the Báb and his followers up to the year 1866. The subject has more recently been investigated by Mr. E. G. Browne, Lecturer in Persian at the University of Cambridge. His work, The Episode of the Báb, is a most valuable contribution to the knowledge of a movement as remarkable as it is little known. It brings the history nearly up to the present day. Much previous knowledge of Muslim thought and ways is, however, necessary to the intelligent study of the few existing works on the subject.

No sect in modern days has suffered such persecution and survived. The movement is one which illustrates the mystical tendency of Persian thought, the fanaticism of the Mullás, and the barbarity of the rulers; but all the efforts of the Muslim Church and State in Persia have hitherto failed to suppress Bábíism, or to lessen the veneration in which the Báb is held by those who accept his teaching.

The Musalmáns of Persia belong to the Shí‘ah sect, which, itself formed by a revolt from orthodox Islám, has been more than any other section of the Muḥammadan people subject to divisions. This is partly due to the character of the Persians, and partly to a somewhat freer spirit, which, as compared with the Sunnís, the Shí‘ahs cultivate. Outwardly, it is true, there is not much difference, and the freedom is only a relative one; but under the garb of faultless profession, the Shí‘ahs have always held many esoteric doctrines and have secretly taught them. The Ṣúfís, or mystics, are the best example of this, but the Bábís seem to have little or no connection with them.

The Persians are not naturally a narrow minded people. In the past they have shown considerable freedom of thought. It is true that their first great revolt against orthodox Islám was largely

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influenced by political motives, but it was not altogether free from intellectual aspirations. The Mutazala, the Ṣúfí, the Bábí are all more or less rationalistic and the two latter, being extremely mystical, should be liberal in their views. The Persians no longer lead in literature and philosophy, but some of the old traditions remain, and they are open to varying impulses and modes of thought, and yet there is no real religious freedom and no true religious toleration.

In order to understand the special standpoint of the Báb and to have an intelligent knowledge of his claims as a religious leader, we must consider briefly the central and special doctrine of the Shí‘ah system. It is known as the dogma of the Imámate. Sharastání defines it thus[3]: “The Imámate is a light (núr) which passes from one to the other and becomes prophetship.” “The Imáms are prophets and divine. Divinity is a ray (núr) in prophetship, which again is a ray in Imámate, and the world is never free from these signs and lights (anvár).”

The Khalif of the Sunni sect, though according to Muḥammadan tradition he should be an Arab and a descendant of the Quraish tribe, is now a Turk, and may, practically, be a man of any race who can command the allegiance of the orthodox. Amongst the Shí‘ahs the Imám occupies this position not by election[4], or by virtue of any special capacities, but by divine right and his office is altogether spiritual.[5] The first Imám, ‘Alí, was

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appointed by Muḥammad and the rest are his divinely ordained successors. They are believed to be immaculate, infallible, and perfect guides to men. “The Imámites believe that the Imám is preserved inviolate from sin and knows all things.”[6] “The authority of the Imám is the authority of God, his word is the word of God and of the prophet, and obedience to his orders is incumbent.”[7] It is said, “God calls the Imáms His word, His hands, His signs, His secret.” Their commands and prohibitions, their actions also, He recognises as His own. Thus Sharastání: “The orders of the Imáms are divine.”[8] As mediums between God and man they hold a far higher position than the prophets, for “the grace of God, without their intervention, reaches to no created being.” The Imám is the supreme Pontiff, the Vicar of God. The possession of an infallible book is not enough. The infallible guide is also needed by the Shí‘ah. This is the general belief about the Imáms and their functions, though there are differences of opinion as to the succession. Setting aside the smaller and less important sects, we may notice the two principal ones. The Ismá’ílíans, who reckon ‘Alí as the first Imám, believe in twelve.[9] The other sect is that of the Imámites, who hold that Ṣádiq, the sixth Imám, was the last one who publicly exercised the office, and that after his time, not after that of Imám Abu’l-Qásim, the succession of the concealed Imáms commenced. It is not at all necessary to enter into the question of these different opinions. The point which now concerns us is that both sects equally believed that there never could be a time when there should be no Imám. “The earth is never without a living Imám, though concealed.” “He who dies without knowing the Imám, or who is not his disciple, dies ignorant.”[10]

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Abu’l Qásim (Al-Mahdí) succeeded his father as Imám in the year 260 A.H., just one thousand years before the manifestation of the Báb. He is said to have disappeared in the year 329 A.H. and to be now living in one of the two mysterious cities — Jábulka and Jábulsa.[11] It is believed that in due time he will reappear, that Jesus Christ will herald his approach, that then injustice and misery will be put away, that the true (Shí‘ah) faith will prevail, and that a millennium of happiness will be ushered in. Meanwhile, he is invisible and inaccessible to the great mass of his followers. At first, however, he held direct intercourse in some way with a select few who were the channels of communication between himself and the larger body. These intermediaries were called Abwáb, or Gates. Their names are Abú ‘Umr ‘Uṣmán ibn Sa‘id ‘Umarí, Abú Ja‘far Muḥammad ibn Uṣmán, Ḥusain ibn Rúh Nawbakhtí, and Abú’l-Ḥasan ‘Alí ibn Muḥammad Símarí. For a period of sixty-nine years these Gates, one after the other, were the medium of communication with the Imám. This period is called that of the ghaibat-i-ṣughra[12] , or minor occupation. The day came at length when the last Gate, Abú’l-Ḥasan, reached the end of life and the people begged him to nominate a successor, as his predecessors had done; but he absolutely refused to do so, alleging as his reason that “God hath a purpose which He will accomplish.” That which the Faithful had looked forward to with despair had now come to pass, and all intercourse with the Imám was at an end. This period is called the ghaibat-i-kubra, or major occultation.[13] The importance attached to these men and to their position is seen from the following extract from the Beyán, a Bábí book to be explained later on, in which we read: “For God hath associated refuge in Himself with refuge in His Apostle, and refuge in His Apostle with refuge in His Executors (i.e., the Imáms), and refuge in His

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Executors with refuge in the Gates of His Executors. . . . For refuge in the Apostle is the same as refuge with God, and refuge in the Imáms the same as refuge in the Apostle and refuge in the Gates is identical with refuge in the Imáms.”[14]

We next come to the time of Shaikh Aḥmad (1753-1826 A.D.) the founder of the Shaikhí sect. He was a devout ascetic and a man of independent thought. He had a profound belief in ‘Alí, and was devoted to the memory of the Imáms, whom he looked upon as creative forces, arguing from the text, “God the best of creators”[15] that, if He be the best, He cannot be the only one, Mírzá Káẓim Beg describes him as a teacher who by his virtues, austerity, and erudition was celebrated amongst his contemporaries. Disciples flocked to him from all parts. The special point of his teaching was that “God is immanent in the Universe, which proceeds from Him, and that all the elect of God, all the Imáms, and all just persons are personifications of the divine attributes.” According to this belief, he held that the twelve Imáms from ‘Alí to Al-Mahdí were personifications of twelve chief attributes of God, and that, consequently, they were eternal. Amongst these Imáms ‘Alí holds the highest rank, being superior to angels, to prophets, and to Muḥammad.[16]

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He used also to quote the Tradition attributed to ‘Alí, “I am the creator of the heavens and the earth”[17] and said that in reciting the first chapter of the Qurán, the Súratu l-Fátiḥah, the worshipper should fix his thoughts on ‘Alí and say “Thee do we worship.”[18]

The successor of Shaikh Aḥmad was Ḥájí Seyyid Káẓim. He was a young man of a very strict manner of life and so mysterious in his actions that some of the more wordly-minded [sic] Persians looked upon him as foolish, but the greater part called him the Enlightened. The Shaikhí doctrine now spread all through Persia. In Irak alone there were more than a hundred thousand disciples. However, they did nothing to call forth the opposition of the Mullás, nor any political repression: on the contrary, among the admirers of the Shaikh were a great number of state officials, and of the chief among the clergy; all proud of his fame and enthusiastic about his philosophy.”[19] He died in the year 1843 a.d. and left no successor. According to the Bábí writers he appointed no one, because he looked upon Shaikh Aḥmad and himself as forerunners of one who should shortly appear, and be far more glorious than they had been. Mr. Browne gives the following translation[20] of a passage in a Bábí history,[21] which bears on this point:

“When Ḥájí Seyyid Káẓim had but recently departed this life,[22] I arrived at the supreme shrines (Kerbelá and Nejef) and heard from his disciples that the late Seyyid had, during the last two or three years of his life, wholly restricted his discourse, both in lecture room and pulpit, to discussing the promised Proof, the signs of his appearance and their explanation, and to enumerating the qualities of the Master of the dispensation, repeatedly declaring that he would be a

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youth, that he would not be versed in the learning of men. Some times, too, he would say, I see him as the rising sun. One day an Arab suddenly entered his presence and said, I have seen a vision touching your reverence. On receiving permission he repeated the dream; whereupon Seyyid Káẓim appeared somewhat troubled and said, ‘The interpretation of this dream is this, that my departure is nigh at hand and I must go hence.’ His companions, who were present, were much distressed and grieved at this intelligence; but he turned his face to them and said, ‘The time of my sojourn in the world has come to an end, and this is my last journey. Why are ye so grieved and troubled because of my death? Do ye not then desire that I should go and that the true one should appear?’”

To Mullá Ḥusain, one of his most distinguished followers, he said, “From whatever quarter the sun of truth shall arise, it will irradiate all horizons and render the mirrors of believers hearts capable of receiving the effulgence of the lights of wisdom.”

The Shaikhís seem to have been expecting the advent of some one who should be their leader and so, after fastings, vigils, and prayers for guidance, they began to consider what was to be done in the matter of a successor, a spiritual director. They then went in different directions. Mullá Ḥusain proceeded to Shíráz and there met with Mírzá ‘Alí Muḥammad, who produced before him the signs of his call to his divine mission. Amongst these was his commentary on the Súra of Joseph, one of the chapters of the Qurán. To the enquiry of the Báb, as to whether the Shaikhís had yet appointed a successor to the late Seyyid Káẓim, he was obliged to say that as yet they had found no one worthy enough for so high an office. The Báb suggested that he might do, but Mullá Ḥusain could not see how one so young would do. One day the Báb said: By what sign canst thou recognize the Master? Mullá Ḥusain replied, “By the possession of the Point of Knowledge, which is the source and centre of all the wisdom of past and future prophets and saints.” Then followed marvellous expositions and clear explanations of most abstruse questions.[23] For

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several days Mullá Ḥusain pondered over these matters, and, after a long and severe struggle, became convinced that he had found in the young and ardent enthusiast before him, the Proof, the True One, the Sun of Truth, to whose advent Ḥájí Seyyid Káẓim had pointed. “He wrote to his friends at Kerbelá that neither he himself nor any other of them was worthy of the high dignity of Murshid, or leader, and that that ‘Illuminated One, to whom their late master had referred, was alone worthy. I have found him at Shíráz and he is worthy to be the Murshid.”[24] It is for this reason, and because he so heartily espoused the cause of his new master, that Mullá Ḥusain is named the Bábu’l-Báb, or Gate of the Gate; the Ḥarf-i-Awwal, or First Letter, and the Awwal man ámana, or the First to believe. But this decision was not acceptable to all the Shaikhís. A party headed by Ḥájí Muḥammad Karím Khán[25] of Kirmán utterly refused to receive the Báb and became his bitterest persecutors. Indeed at his first examination at Tabríz, some of his opponents were Shaikhís, and some later on approved of his condemnation to death. The Shaikhís thus became divided into two sects. One passed on to Bábíism of which it was, in a way, the source. At all events, it gave it strength and a rapid diffusion. The other was, and continued to be, in fierce conflict with it. However, the great majority followed Mullá Ḥusain, and Mírzá ‘Alí Muḥammad become their recognized leader.